When a homeschooler goes to college, there are certain things that supposedly intimidate them or make them stand out from the crowd. Some of these are accurate, others not so much. If you are homeschooled, you'll probably understand. If you're not, your beliefs that we're weird might just be confirmed. With no further ado, here are 8 myths and truths about homeschoolers in college.
1. We won't be used to waking up early.
This just isn't true. I've been asked many questions about homeschooling by adults, but the one I used to get asked most frequently by my peers was if I got to sleep in/wear pajamas all day. For some families this is true, but that doesn't mean we don't have schedules and things to do. It doesn't rock my world to wake up in the morning and go to an 8 a.m. class.
2. The classroom setting will be intimidating.
I could see how at larger schools this could be true, but at a small school like Judson, the classroom environment is actually one of my favorite parts of being here. Group learning is difficult, though not impossible to achieve in homeschooling, so while classroom learning is a new experience, it is a very positive one, and easy to adjust to. I will grant you though, the concept of participation points is a new one.
3. We'll miss our mommies and won't be able to handle dorm life.
Not gonna lie. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss my animals. But this is not unique to homeschoolers, and I have seen people here who were public schooled and are physically closer to home than I am, and they have been more homesick than I have. It just depends on the individual, and everyone handles it differently. And, for that matter, calling your parents frequently to ask for advice or hear their voice isn't such a bad thing.
4. We won't be able to handle the coursework.
There is a misconception, though I think it is less common now, that homeschoolers were allowed to slack off all through high school and got the grades their parents wanted them to have, and therefore will be rudely awakened by the heavy workload and schedules of college life. Upon the contrary, every homeschooler I have met at college has been on top of it. Their education has prepared them for advanced studies, they are comfortable interacting with professors to get extra help, and their work ethic and organizational skills are top-notch.
On a lighter note, these are some "myths" that tend to be true, and some things you may not have thought of.
5. Homeschoolers all watch Doctor Who.
I was not aware until recently that this was a homeschooler stereotype, but apparently it is, and I have no rebuttal.
6. Homeschooled girls may be identified by their denim skirts.
I wore a denim skirt for the first time since I was 11 during my first semester here, and about half-way through the day, someone asked in the course of normal conversation if I was homeschooled. Upon my confirmation, she said that she could tell because of my skirt. I opened my mouth to scoff, and then realized I had never seen any public-schooled child wear one. It's cute and comfortable, okay?
7. Homeschoolers aren't used to an institutionalized existence.
It is admittedly weird to me to go en masse to a large building across a parking lot at specified hours in order to obtain food. At home, the cafeteria is down the hall, and it's called the kitchen. My ability to access my room and sleep in my own bed is usually not defined by the possession of a plastic card with my face on it. I had my first experience with a fire alarm last semester in my dorm. It was interesting - deafening tones, flashing lights, and all your friends fleeing the building, carrying their laptops and expensive textbooks from danger as though they were children. That's straight-up scary to a homeschooled kid.
8. Homeschoolers are weird.
You mean we're delightful and quirky and have a unique way of seeing the world? Why yes, that is true. Thank you for noticing. When all is said and done, we are a little bit different from everyone else, but we're integrating just fine, and college is just as much of an adventure for us as it is for everyone else.
